{{Short description|Estate near Wrexham}} {{Infobox historic site | name = Wynnstay Hall | image = Wynnstay Hall, Ruabon near Wrexham, Wales 28.jpg | caption = | type = House | locmapin = Wales Wrexham | map_relief = yes | coordinates = {{coord|52.9763|-3.0307|display=inline,title}} | location = [[Ruabon]], [[Wrexham]] | area = | built = Mid 19th century with earlier origins | architect = | architecture = [[Renaissance Revival architecture|French Neo-Renaissance]] | governing_body = private | designation1 = Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales | designation1_free1name = Listing | designation1_free1value = Grade I | designation1_offname = Wynnstay | designation1_date = {{Start date and age|2022|02|01|df=yes}} | designation1_number = PGW(C)64(WRE) | designation2 = Grade II* | designation2_offname = Wynnstay Hall | designation2_date = 7 June 1963 | designation2_number = 1627 | designation3 = Grade II* listed building | designation3_offname = Cascade | designation3_date = 22 February 1995 | designation3_number = 15749 | designation4 = Grade II* listed building | designation4_offname = Wynnstay Column | designation4_date = 22 February 1995 | designation4_number = 15746 | designation5 = Grade II* listed building | designation5_offname = Dairy at Wynnstay Hall | designation5_date = 22 February 1995 | designation5_number = 15742 | designation6 = Grade II* listed building | designation6_offname = Kennels (including valeting house and attached courtyard buildings and boundary walls) | designation6_date = 22 February 1995 | designation6_number = 15723 }} '''Wynnstay''' is a country house within an important landscaped park 1.3 km (0.75 miles) south-east of [[Ruabon]], near [[Wrexham]], Wales. Wynnstay, previously Watstay, is a famous estate and the [[family seat]] of the [[Williams-Wynn baronets]]. The house was sold in 1948 and is under private ownership as of 2000.
==History== [[File:Richard Wilson - View near Wynnstay, the Seat of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, BT. - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|left|''[[View near Wynnstay]]'' by [[Richard Wilson (painter)|Richard Wilson]], 1771]] [[File:Wynne Stay, seat of Sir Watkins Williams Wynne, 1793.jpg|thumb|left|Wynnstay, 1793]] During the 17th century, [[Sir John Wynn, 5th Baronet]], inherited the Watstay Estate through his marriage to Jane Evans (daughter of Eyton Evans of Watstay), and renamed it the Wynnstay Estate. The gardens were laid out by [[Capability Brown]]. Wynnstay was Brown's largest commission in Wales, work beginning in 1774 and completed in 1784, a year after his death. He replaced the older formal gardens with lawns which swept right up to the house overlooking the lake.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.capabilitybrown.org/garden/wynnstay|title=Capability Brown Festival – Wynnstay|last=|first=|date=2016|website=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190408052358/http://www.capabilitybrown.org/garden/wynnstay|url-status=usurped|archive-date=April 8, 2019|access-date=}}</ref>
Famous occupants of the house and estate included [[Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet]]. During the 19th century, [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Princess Victoria]] stayed there with her mother, [[Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld|the Duchess of Kent]].
In 1858, Wynnstay was destroyed by fire and was rebuilt on the same site, with [[Benjamin Ferrey]] as architect.
After the house was vacated by the Williams-Wynn family in the mid-20th century, in favour of the nearby Plas Belan on the Wynnstay estate, it was bought by [[Lindisfarne College]]. When the school closed due to bankruptcy, the building was converted to flats and several private houses.
==Historic listing designations== Wynnstay is a [[Listed buildings in Wales|Grade II*]] listed building.<ref>{{Cadw|num=1627|desc=Wynnstay Hall|grade=II*|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> The gardens underwent a process of refurbishment which was completed by 2016<ref>{{cite web|last1=Latham|first1=Laura|title=Capability Brown, the Master of the English Garden|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/15/realestate/capability-brown-the-master-of-the-english-garden.html|website=The New York Times|date=14 April 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Hughes|first1=Owen|title='Live like a lord' in former mansion house of one of Wales's most powerful families|url=https://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/converted-library-former-stately-home-12551800|website=northwales|date=3 February 2017}}</ref> and are listed at Grade I on the [[Cadw/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales]].<ref>{{NHAW|num=PGW(C)64(WRE)|desc=Wynnstay|access-date=15 February 2023|uid=57|class=HPG}}</ref>
Other structures listed at Grade II* include the [[Artificial waterfall|Cascade]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15749|desc=Cascade at Wynnstay|grade=II*|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> the Wynnstay Column commemorating [[Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15746|desc=Wynnstay Column|grade=II*|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> the [[dairy]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15742|desc=Dairy at Wynnstay|grade=II*|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> and the [[kennels]].<ref>{{Cadw|num=15723|desc=The Kennels at Wynnstay|grade=II*|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref>
Structures listed at Grade II include a range of garden features: a plunge pool,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15750|desc=Plunge Pool at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> a [[boathouse]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15745|desc=Boathouse at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> an [[Ice house (building)|ice house]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15747|desc=Icehouse at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> a sluice,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15742|desc=Sluice gate at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> an [[ha-ha]]<ref>{{Cadw|num=15744|desc=Ha Ha to east of Kitchen Garden at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> a tunnel from the [[kitchen garden]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15743|desc=Tunnel to east of Kitchen Garden at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> and the walls of an earlier kitchen garden.<ref>{{Cadw|num=1627|desc=Former Kitchen Garden Walls at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> There are also a number of ancillary buildings designed to support the estate including: the estate office<ref>{{Cadw|num=15738|desc=Estate Office at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> and cottage,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15740|desc=Estate Cottage at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> the stables,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15742|desc=Stables at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> the chapel,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15739|desc=Chapel at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> a [[game larder]],<ref>{{Cadw|num=15737|desc=Game Larder at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> and school room and attached master's house.<ref>{{Cadw|num=15756|desc=School Room at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cadw|num=15757|desc=House attached to School Room at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> Lastly, five [[Gatehouse|lodges]] stand at the entrances to the estate: the West and East Broth Lodges,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15751|desc=Broth Lodge West at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cadw|num=15752|desc=Broth Lodge East at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> the Bakers Lodge,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15754|desc=Bakers Lodge Gates and Gatepiers at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> the School Lodge,<ref>{{Cadw|num=15723|desc=School Lodge at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref> and the Park Lodge.<ref>{{Cadw|num=15708|desc=Park Lodge at Wynnstay|grade=II|access-date=16 April 2025}}</ref>
==See also== * [[Wynnstay Arms Hotel, Ruabon]] * [[Wynnstay Arms Hotel, Wrexham]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *Transcript of information from ''Picturesque Views of Seats of The Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland'' edited by F. O. Morris (published c.1880) [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~mossvalley/mv/wynnstay1.html] *[http://two.archiseek.com/2009/1860-wynnstay-hall-ruabon-wales/ 1860 – Wynnstay Hall, Ruabon, Wales]
{{Wrexham}}
[[Category:Ruabon]] [[Category:Houses in Wrexham County Borough]] [[Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Wrexham County Borough]] [[Category:Country houses in Wales]] [[Category:Gardens by Capability Brown]] [[Category:Registered historic parks and gardens in Wrexham County Borough]] [[Category:Grade II* listed houses in Wales]]